Apache 2: catch an Assassin
by ThisisWolf134
Summary: Sequel to Apache: a martial arts story. Ranma only thinks that Genma did it, when it's not! The pilots' memories have been altered somehow in order to make it so that they believe Genma is the culprit. Just who was the one pulling the strings?
1. Mundanity

**Apache 2: catch an assassin**

by Alex Young

It's been exactly two months now since the time that Ranma cheated death in the form of an Apache helicopter gunship, he is in the Tendo dojo sparring with a girl by the name of Aoko Kamakirigane; the heiress to the all girls school of the mantis fist. Aoko's motives are that she seems to have a slight crush on him, and to prepare for the upcoiming battle against the all boys school of the scorpion fist's 40 year old sensei; Kuromoto Sasorigane. Ranma's main motive is to take his mind off of what had happened on that dreadful night and the day after.

Flashback #1: That night, on January 4, 2004

Blades spinning, dials and gagues illuminated, and a dangerous grin crossing his face, the helicopter pilot Kevin "Zeke" Costello was at the helm of his olive drab demon as it goes in for the kill. The copilot Jebediah "Jeb" Carmichael impatiently squeezed on the handle, and then pulled the trigger immediately on target. Then all of a sudden, the outside glass of the cockpit caught fire; almost as though hell itself had paid them a visit. Their lives started flashing before their eyes, contemplaing in what could very well be their final moments. "BRACE FOR IMPACT!" Zeke screamed. "GOODBYE OLE BUDDY!" Jeb wailed. Everything was but a blur as the whole world melted into the darkness shortly thereafter.

A four-legged, oblong figure had emerged from the shadows perpendicular to the Apache's crash course, with what looks to be prehensile arm-like fangs streching outward from its insect-like body. It hissed venomously enough to kill a Blue Whale. "Blast! I nearly had him that time!" It snarled out. As a preventative measure, long, silken tendrils shot out form the spikes on its arm-fangs, apparently altering the unconscious Zeke's and Jeb's memories. It broke its neural connections in a split second upon success, and sneered in short-lived satisfaction. "Next time we meet Ranma Saotome, you will not be so lucky." It dryly growled before it turned into a Comanche gunship and flew off in the opposite direction.

Present Day en route to Furinkan High

Ranma after his sparring session, is walking along the fence at his usual pace, but this time he's giving Akane a piggyback ride because he isn't too keen on the idea of being late just because she's absorbed in thought. "Ranma, you jerk." She whispered with a smile on her face, much appreciative of her fiance's selfless actions. Then, that familiar rining of a bicycle bell snapped the both of them back to reality. Surely enough, the energetic Chinese amazon Shampoo was there on her delivery bike. "Nihao! Special delivery for Ailen!" Sampoo giggled. "Too too delicious, no?" "Oh shit!" Akane yelped as she suddenly looked down into the waterway below. Shampoo had lost her balance in a surprised reaction to Ranma's side-stepping maneuver, falling in and turning into a cat in the process. Ranma scrambled along the chain links to school only to scream upon seeing the amazon-turned-cat as he got back up and bolted across the fence, knocking Akane out cold in the chaos.

Flashback #2: The Tendo backyard, on January 5th, 2004

Ranma was kicking ass and taking names on the bokken toting Tatewaki Kuno in the snow-capped backyard, with Ryoga and Mousse in toe. Kuno grabbed Ranma's attention with his rapid-fire sword thrusts. "Thou shalt NOT touch the lips of Akane Tendo for so long as I live HAAA-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!" Ryoga laid out his arms with interlocked fingers for Mousse to jump on. With that, Ryoga catapulted Mousse up into the air, making his move in a rabies-charged mad dash towards Ranma, he belted out "Double Bakusai Tenkestu!" Using not one, but two pointer fingers, aimed at two individual breaking points. Mousse followed up what can only be described as his part in a high flying, explosive tag-team triple attack. "Raking hawk's talon! Sonic boom impact!" He screeched as he descended from the heavens onto the space where Ranma used to be. Apparently, Ranma's timing couldn't have been better as he leap-frogged over Ryoga before Mousse executed his terminal velocity landing into the resulting explosions. Ryoga had been caught by the heel of mousse's left foot, which caused him to crumple forward. Upon learning of Ranma's successful evasion, Ryoga unleashed a "SHI SHI HOKODAAAUUGH!" When he was distracted by Happosai making a grab for Akane's undies, aghast at the sheer sight of the shriveled-up old pervert and this latest advance. The resulting lion's roar wave shot was considerably weaker than intended, and Kuno took all of the damage from the chi projectile because he had been pushed by Ranma on the chest towards it with his back legs.

Mean while, In the Tendo dining room, Soun and Genma (the latter having been doused with hot water) sip some tea to some shogi with Ranma's high-speed, low-drag, 3-on-1 cage match in the background. Happosai has disappeared after his perverse little escapade with some teenage undergarments. "Well, Saotome, I only wish that fate be any easier on you." Soun Lamented. "I second that, Tendo. That boy is really going at it with those thr-HEY! NO FAIR! I WAS JUST GONNA BEAT YOU!" Genma complained as he turned his head and noticed that the Shogi board has been turned 180o, courtesy of Soun. "Why, I'd never even think of such a thing, Saotome!" Soun retorted defensively. "Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater!" Genma shot back. "How could your betray your best friend like that!?" Soun caterwauled in response. As the fathers argued over this incident, they failed to notice that Happosai had been sneaking out into the embattled backyard. {Heh, now's my chance.} He thought upon seeing some lingerie from girl type Ranma's then feminine chest.

Ryoga and Mousse tried their team attack again, this time Ryoga used the tip of his heavyweight umbrella to search for a breaking point. The still airborne Mousse executed the same old maneuver as the last time, except maybe at terminal velocity. Both attacks hit the koi pond at the same time, creating a freezing cold geyser that triggers the jusenkyo curses from all three victims. This turns Ranma, Ryoga, and Mousse into a girl, a black piglet, and a duck respectively. The male-turned-female Ranma was knocked off balance from the resulting shockwave, slipping into the pond and ripping a huge gash across her back. "Grrroh Now look what you two made me do!" She snarled in complaint. "Start praying demon BURRA-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT" Kuno bellowed as he stabbed into the icy seraph of superchilled water, he stopped midway as it dissapeared into the pond. "Guuh, FIE! 'Tis mine Pig-tailed angel!" "Chyea, ya think?" The disconcerted "Ranko" said. "Art thou hurt anywhere?" Kuno queried as he offered his hand, which she was willing to grasp strictly because of the pain induced by her wound when she attempted this without the wannabe samurai's assistance. "Can you please get rid of these two bastards for me?" She requested in a sensual tone as she gave Kuno a dangerously sexy look reminiscent of her yandere self. She flashed her cleavage with a half-lidded stare to accentuate the glowing underwear on her chest as she sealed the gap between them. The result being that Kuno smiled all the wider as one erotic sexual fantasy after another raced past his mind as though in a formula one grand prix. Without warning, he roared "HAAAAH YEEEESSSS! I, THE BLUE THUNDER OF FURINKAN HIGH, TATEWAKI KUNO ACCEPT THY REQUEST OH PIG TAILED KITTEN!" Then Kuno suddeny changed his facial expression from a grin of elation, to a malicious one as he glared at the piglet and the duck. Both Ryoga and Mousse squealed and quacked and they struggled to free themselves from the clutches of both her left and right hands respectively. Then Happosai came arcing straight into her exposed bosom. "Nnnrrr-gyah!" Ranko promptly knee-launched both animals into the oncoming senior citizen letcher. Kuno then gave chase immediately after Happosai crashed into the swine-and-fowl bullet. Happosai was momentarily stripped of any and all consciousness, which gave Ranko the opportunity to pick up the motionless old freak and let Kuno do all the dirtywork of disposing of both animals.

Present Day on campus at Furinkan High

Ranma's morbid fear of cats had made it so that he and Akane wouldn't be late for school, for once. "Hey, Akane. Wake up, we made it." He quipped with a few light slaps on the cheek to her. Akane regained consciousness almost immediately afterwards. "We there yet, Ranma?" She gently inquired. "Yep, we're here allright." Ranma answered as he continued on towards the newly installed automated school doors. "Fell demon Ranma Saotome, get thy hands off of the angelic tigress Akane Tendo." Kuno snarled as he barreled towards the both of them. Ranma made it obvious that he learned some new tricks from his session with Aoko, as he blocked kuno's bokken strike, only to slash him in his right cheek. "Sorry, Kuno. Ain't got time for that, shit-for-brains!" Ranma replied as he leapfrogged over the whackjob of a samurai, before emitting a "Heii-YAAA!" "DO NOT ESCAPE THY DIVINE JUDGEMENT, VILE BEAST AMONG MEN!" Kuno screamed in hot pursuit of Ranma and Akane. They both made it through the doors just in time. Kuno on the other hand, wasn't so lucky as the plexiglass doors slammed shut on his face as he stepped near them, making him crash into them. Ranma let Akane down before the both of them bust a gut in derision at Kuno's plight. Ranma and Akane we're quick to praise the new system. "Well, there's one thing That the principal did for the betterment of the school." "Heh, I'll say" The latter replied before sticking her tongue out and following the former to class.

Flashback #3: The Tendo dining room

Nabiki watched her Kuno-baby slash the snow to pieces in pursuit of p-chan and mu-mu chan as she mused aloud a "Now those were some freaky flyer miles, eh you two?" "We don't know what the hell you're talkin 'bout." The still rope-bound Zeke and Jeb replied. "Oh, I am so offended right now." She deadpanned in her usual sarcastic manner. Nabiki stepped out to check on tree-borne-kettle-girl Ranma, thermos in hand. "I may get you some hot water in exchange for the old goat." She immediately took her middle sister-in-law-to-be up on her offer as she said "What's the catch?" "Oh, nothing. Just a small tax of 350 yen." "A small price to pay, so long as I got a good work out in." "Eh, no. I was referring to getting that large gash on your back treated. It could become infected." Nabiki admonished as she stroked the newly changed Ranma's back only to find him seething in pain. "Aaugh, don't do that!" Ranma barked. "Sor-ry!" She replied as she used the sheer combined weight of both helicopter pilots to get a battered, bruised, and apparently bitter Happosai pinned to the floor beneath them, in addition to one spider silk thread on each lecherous limb of his. "Fuuuuuuuh, no comment." The shirtless Ranma sighed as he laid flat on his belly at the table, awaiting whatever treatment the family and Dr. Tofu were able to offer. "Ranma, may I have a word with you in private? If you have the time." Kasumi inquired. "After I'm done with the treatment, yeah." Ranma replied. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Ranma." {Oh, no! That can't be Kodachi! Not her of all people!} He cringed in thought as he slowly opened his eyes to reveal the biggest shock of his life; It wasn't Kodachi at all, It was Akane, and she was clad in a beautiful kuro-tomesode kimono. Ranma had just recalled a few days earlier when his mother, Nodoka Saotome told Akane that If she was to be his wife, she was going to dress and act like a good and proper housewife. She even made some tea and ramen for him. "Ooooookaay." Ranma mumbled as he cautiously bit into the noodles, knowing just how horrific her cooking was in the past. "Mmmmmmm. Mmmmm. Aaaahhhh. Not bad. Not bad at all, Akane." He commented as he swallowed his first legitimately satisfying bite from Akane's cooking in a while. Akane was set aflame in gratification at this sight as Ranma took one more bite after another, just to be certain. "Ho yeah, Definitely don't taste like gasoline!" Ranma praised after he had emptied his bowl of Akane's delicious ramen.


	2. Revealations

**Apache 2: catch an assassin**

by Alex Young

Present day at Furinkan high school's entrance

Kuno's world was but a blur as he awakened from the catatonic state that was the result of his latest attempt to get at that wicked creature, Ranma Saotome! "Rrrrrooow, I shalt slay thee yet for this besmirchment upon mine public image, Ranma Saotome!" Kuno growled darkly as he struggled back on his feet, panting like a dog in heat, with its face still bledding on one cheek, of course. "The trouble doth be, how to get in from without?" He pondered before recalling a month ago where Toramasa Kobayakawa Lectured him in depth about Furinkan high's infrastructure. "Maybe some of the underground tunnels can provide an avenue to enter the school building's ventilation system." Kuno mused as he poked around for hollow flooring. There it was; a secret passage into an intricate network of subterranean tunnels. As soon as he opened it up, though. "ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHAAAA! Where are you, naughty keiki? Da beeg Kahuna is here to give a Hawaiian haircut! YEYEYAAAYAAW!" "Huu, EGAD! That institutional monstrosity is on the prowl! I have to hide quickly, or else I am done for!" Kuno panicked with memories of his most recent buzzcut still fresh in his mind. He made a break for the inside of Toramasa's many secret entrances. He's in, but what of the principal? "EEH!? Eenybahdy heer? Helloooo!" The principal called as he scanned around Kuno's secret escape route. Success! Kuno has eluded the principal's shears, leaving the scissor toting madman none the wiser. The principal resumed his hunt for the one that didn't make it past the automated security doors. He scoured the vacant school grounds until he got to the main entrance, where wouldn't you know it, he found Kuno crawling in the vents. "YEYEYEEAAYAAW! Aii found you, Tachi! Now you be a getting another buzz cut From da big Kahuna, himself!" "Damnation! I've been discovered, I needst to get away! O ye gods, be mine speed!" Kuno cried as he scrambled in the vents. The principal gave chase by crawling inside the vent where Kuno is, shredding the vents to pieces in the process.

Meanwhile in homeroom

Ranma was exchanging love letters with Akane, much to the surprise of the entire class, including Miss Hinako Ninomiya. The little girl teacher couldn't help but look in wonder as the letters were handed back and forth without the two of them ever realizing it. Sure they both did their regular classwork and all, but as shown, they can be unwitting lovers. Miss Hinako gushed at the sight of this, grinning ever wider with her growing elation. "Wah! Miss Tendo and Mister Saotome are making lovey dovies! C'mon you two! Time for the class to cheer!" She squealed in apparent delight as she escorted Ranma and Akane to the front of homeroom, to show the class of their touchy-feely hand-holding relationship. In a corner of the class, a murderous looking Hikaru Gosunkugi emits a pitch black aura that is slowly festering into a bitter hatred, blocking out the light. He's holding out a #2 pencil in a way that only a murderer would. "Heheheheheheheee, you're gonna get it now, Saotome!" He chuckled as the vents started tearing themselves open in a path towards the deranged boy warlock. All of a sudden, the principal comes crashing down from a weakened vent tunnel onto his head. Kuno followed suit but this time landing on his feet. "Huzzah, fiendish cur of a father! I, Tatewaki Kuno, Blue thunder of Furinkan high, hath smote thine malicious wiles! Hu hu hahahahahaaa!" Kuno cackled with unparalelled insanity. The crazed Kuno then turned to approach Ranma, and stared at him with the same pitch black aura that had plagued Gosunkugi earlier. It was as though it suddenly crept up on Kuno and took him right over. "So Ranma Saotome, I suppose that ye doth think it alright to marry mine Akane Tendo without mine express permission, hm?" Kuno muttered in a dark and bitter tone of voice as Ranma winced at the shadows covering his eyes. {Oh crap! Not again!} Akane thought to herself as her heart kicked into a panicked overdrive. "You meanie! What do you think you're doing!?" Miss Hinako threatened as she stood between Ranma and an ever darkening Kuno. The principal snaked through the class for a clear shot at giving his son a good and proper buzz cut for being late. "Ooooooh, I got you now!" The principal cried as he leapt towards a Tatewaki Kuno surrounded by the hateful black aura. The principal crashed into his son's back as the teachers desk promptly fell over, with Miss Hinako getting caught in the crossfire. Entire locks of hair were flying all over the place as the principal attempted to cut Kuno's hairdo down to size. The principal was launched towards the wall to Ranma's left as an even darker looking Kuno emerged glaring at his father. Surprisingly enough, his haircut was still intact as he heaved like a winded rhinoceros after a temper tantrum. "Try that again, dear father." He hissed with a venom 100 times deadlier than cyanide. Kuno then growled as he stepped towards his father to beat his Hawaiianized ass to a pulp. Ranma had never been edgier about it before in his life, neither has Akane. "Come to think of it, just who did get a haircut?" Ukyo inquired. Ranma grimaced at that notion. "Uh-oh, you won't believe whose hair it belongs to, Ucchan." Ranma replied. "Well, whose hair is it that's on the floor, Ranma honey?" "See for yourself." Ranma requested "Oh, ok." Ukyo replied after a shrug. She walked up to the teacher's desk to hear the voice of a small child crying her eyes out. The okonomiyaki practitioner simply couldn't believe her eyes; it was Miss Hinako! That was HER hair strewn about the vicinity! "Errrr, nice haircut you got there." Ukyo nervously complimented to the sobbing child teacher with a bowl cut as she screamed "Waaahaah! You meanies ruined my hair! Now you're gonna pay for what you did big time!" Sorrow immediately melted into wrath as she stormed her way towards where Kuno and the principal were scrapping it out, barber scissors to kendo bokken. She held out a 500 yen piece and yelled "Happo 500 yen coin satsu!" With that, all that energy light and dark, was instantaneously drained from their bodies. What's even more amazing is that she spent a good 91% of that shadow energy into regrowing her hair! What's more amazing is that it's the only energy she spent on regrowing her hair. "See, I told you that you were going to pay for what you did to my do." Father and son moaned and groaned tiredly as their paper bodies flapped about to the wind. "Whoa! Teach! How'd you manage to regrow all that hair on such a small time frame?" "Well, practice makes perfect, as well as experimentation." The adult Miss Hinako replied as she traced the source of the increasing shadow energy in her body. As she stared at the window to Ranma's right, she held out her hand, aimed downward to her right, and let rip a "Happo coinless wave blast!" The white hot spear lanced through a pair of small bushes and its tip exploded upon contact with Terra Firma. Her body now shrank back to that of a child, and she was gleeful about the fact that her hair was still at waist length. "Yay! I got all my hair back!" "Haah thank god she knows how to regrow her own hair." Ukyo sighed in relief knowing that it's physiologically taxing to regrow hair in a few seconds. Ranma was also relieved knowing that she has spent all the remaining shadow energy in one burst. Classes were rather uninteresting, as time flew by to when lunch time has descended upon Furinkan High. Ranma dined quickly on Akane's home cooked contents in his bento box on the roof, much like he would with any other meal. "Say, Akane. You remember that apache helicopter gunship I fought a couple of months ago, right?" Ranma queried. "Yeah, what about it?" Akane replied. "I couldn't help but feel a dark aura around it. It was probably the same aura that got Kuno today." "Oh yeah! Right. It was like Kasumi said to you before." Akane answered. Ranma pondered a "Come to think of it..."

Flashback #4: January 5, 2004. In Kasumi's room

Ranma knew that he was a fast healer, but he didn't know that Kasumi and Dr. Tofu would help to heal his wound so quickly to the point where it stopped hurting. He entered her room as requested by Kasumi. The both of them sat down together and discussed the matter over. "I know that you must still be mad at Mr. Saotome, but he would never think of killing you." "But, but" "I know." Kasumi replied raising a finger to get him to hear her out. "The pilots must have told you that he did it, but that's simply not the case" Now that was another shocker! How could Genma not do it to his own son!? There had to be a good reason why. "For you see, their memories were altered by what looked to be a giant sized water bug. Not only that, but it controlled the pilots like puppets, the purpose of which is a mystery I regretfully cannot answer at the moment." "Trust me, Kasumi! I've seen and heard much weirder shit than this before in my life." "I'm glad you understand." Kasumi answered as Ranma cracked his knuckles. "Time ta start talkin again." He chuckled evilly with a grin to match. He sauntered on over to where Zeke and Jeb are as he squatted with an eerily calm stare. "Ok, you two. If it wasn't my pop who tried ta kill me, then who was it?" He gritted with teeth clenched and a slowly building hostility. "Who in the deep blue fuckin hell altered yer memories, eh?" "OK, OK! We'll talk!" Jeb screamed. "I-I-It was Moaghen, dammit! Now let us go for pete's sake!" Zeke exclaimed. "Y-Yeah, Now let us go to the bathroom!" "Thanks, that's all I needed to hear from you." Ranma replied as he undid the knots bonding the pilots together. "H-hey! What about me-OW!" "Aaah put a sock in it, old letch." Ranma snarled as he gave Happosai a good thwack upside the head. "Moaghen, eh? What a weird ass name." Nabiki mused after having eavesdropped on Ranma's second interrogation. "You're quite right, Nabiki." Soun replied as Genma nodded in agreement. "Well, Tendo. I guess the best thing we can do now is to wait for this Moaghen character to make his next move." "Indeed we shall, Saotome, indeed we shall." "For now, we have more pressing matters to attend to." Nodoka interjected "Like, makin sure that Kuno and company don't get between me and Akane." Ranma replied as he retired back into his room to think some things over with himself.

Present day just outside of the Furinkan High school building.

Moaghen the giant water bug was joined by Naozi the mosquito and the both of them were hiding in the bushes, with Moaghen manipulating his silken tendrils through his arms. They were transmitting shadow energy to Kuno through the silk via a device that Naozi created just for that purpose. "Runnin smooth, eh Naozi?" "Not behd if eh do sey so mehself." Naozi quipped. "Feh, your designs always aim to please." Moaghen complimented when all of a sudden, he felt a seismic shift in the silk transmission. "Damn it! What the hell happened? The shadow energy's not as strong as before!" "Eh guess zee shehdow energie must hehve been burned ehp or somezing?" Naozi questioned as a blinding light fast apporached them. Moaghen immediately severed his connections as he and Naozi dashed towards an adjacent thicket. "Sheet! Zese dehmned hyumehns ehre not to bee underestimated!" Naozi exclaimed in apparent surprise. "You can say that again." Moaghen replied in disgust as their latest plot was foiled by miss Hinako's tracing of the shadow energy to their location. "That Ranma is really starting to piss me off! I'm gonna hafta do something drastic if we're to get that hive mind from him, that's for sure!" Moaghen growled in a threateningly low tone. "Agreed, Moaghen. But let's say wer ehre luckee to hehve escehped weeth our lahves." "Kheh, no doubt about that." Moaghen replied as they flew the coop to await further orders.


	3. Cat fist confrontation!

**Apache 2: catch an assassin**

by Alex Young

Present day after school

Ranma and Akane were taking their usual route home from school when he said "First the apache, now Kuno!" "It has got to be the Moaghen! The same bastard that tried to kill you two months back!" Akane replied as the both of them put two and two together as they meandered on home to discover that Kuno, Ryoga, and Mousse were right there waiting for them. This time, however, they were joined by Ryu Kumon. "Ranma Saotome. Shalt we hath a word with ye? That is, if thou hast the time of day." Kuno requested. "We're not here to kick your ass, Ranma. Not like last time." Ryoga affirmed. "You're the least of our problems, for now." Mousse assured. "It's concerning Moaghen and what he's been up to, lately." Ryu asserted. "Ooookaay, you got it." An untrusting Ranma replied. After all, he had very little reason to trust in Kuno and friends. That was, until a shrill, almost shrieking laughter sliced his brain in two. That laughter belonged to Moaghen, and he was clearly not alone as Naozi's presence by his side can attest. As if that wasn't bad enough, there was the matter of Pantyhose Taro under Moaghen's influence of all things. Worse still, are the cats under the giant water bug's control, no less than eight of them at that. All polluted by the shadow energy from Pantyhose's heart channeled onto Moaghen's nine puppets.

Somewhere deep within Nerima's public park, from Moaghen's POV. 45 minutes since Moaghen's escape from Furinkan high

Rrrrrowwrrrhh, the timing couldn't have been better, Ranma was within MY clutches, I was so close, yet so very far away. Damn you, Ranma Saotome! I shall have my revenge for what you did two months ago and today. Thankfully I have been paired with the brains of my unit; Naozi. He is never the one at fault when he invents something new, only to have it's first mission end in failure; not unlike the last time I tried to get at the hive mind within him. "Think we lost 'em." I panted. "Sacre bleu, zese hyumehns know hehw to geeve jehse." I couldn't help but look over my shoulder at that notion from him, before realizing that they were now preoccupied with chasing this "Happosai" around. "Ah haff built an emergencie trehvel reservoir of shehdow energie on your ehbdomen, jehst in cehse." Naozi confirmed as I formulated a plan immediately afterwards. Bingo! As second in command for Alpha 134, it only came naturally that I shoot my mind control silk at the perverse raisin with legs, and draw him closer to where the Pantyhose Taro was last sighted. Wait a moment! Pantyhose may already be closing in on that lecherous old goat, Happosai! Now if only I can get my mind control silk threads to Happosai before the Pantyhose jerk clobbers him first. I fired off my silken missiles and BULLSEYE! They made contact with their intended target, and uh-oh, gotta get him outta there fast, hyyyaagh! My timing couldn't have been better, as demon Taro missed the old letch by a human arm's length. "Whoa, holy shit! It's a monster!" "Run for your lives!" The sheer sight of Pantyhose Taro's curse form scared the wits out of Happosai's pursuers, much to our relief. As soon as Pantyhose closed in again, I switched over to him from frickin lecherous bastard Happosai. The shriveled up old freak had the following pounding coming to him for his conduct unbecoming. Now with Taro under my strings, me and Naozi set off after Ranma.

Present day, from the reader's perspective

Ranma was frozen in fear from the cats he has to fend off under Moaghen's control. "S-s-so it was you! You were the one that tried to kill me, weren't you!" "Kill you? Mohahaha! Oh nonononooo, I didn't try to kill you, I merely wanted to wear you down so that I could get the hive mind that's inside of you." Moaghen replied. "Whatever it is you want, yer gonna hafta pry it from my cold, dead body, first!" Ranma growled. "Well, in this case, ATTACK!" Moaghen commanded, and his puppets dutifully launched themselves against the boy turned man among men. "DIE, FIENDS!" Kuno bellowed as he and friends charged roaring into battle towards Taro. Ranma immediately started slipping into Nekoken after realizing that he had to deal with eight, exceptionally aggresive cats. "Rrrriirr. rrrrrrreeeeaaawrr!" Ranma roared as his ways became more like that of a cat. Neko Ranma lashed out against his feline aggressors, breaking them free of their silken bondage. All of them dropped temporarily unconscious on the grass, much to Moaghen's shock and awe. Ryoga plunged his pointer in a breaking point explosion towards Taro as a smoke screen for the rest of his opponents to use as cover. Moaghen hauled Taro towards neko Ranma as he lunged at the mind control threads to sever them. *risshik* *chowik* *kurrassh* Neko Ranma slashed at the silken cables, breaking Taro free of Moaghen's influence. Taro lunged at Moaghen, who was quick to evade and regain mind control over him. Moaghen's body was poining straight down, as he flashed his fangs in satisfaction. "Ryowr!" Lo and behold, that was neko Ranma as he severed those lines, too as Moaghen gasped in horror. "Haaaaaaah!" "What the!? Reinforcements!?" Moaghen gaped in surprise as he looked at a young girl firing a flying kick aimed straight at his chest. It was Aoko, she came to Ranma's, or at least neko Ranma's rescue, not that he was in any dire need thereof. Her kick connected with Moaghen's chest, and sent him hurtling toward's the Tendo's entrance. "Woooaaa SHI SHI HOKODAAAAAN!" Ryoga screamed as he shot a lion's roar projectile towards Moaghen's back. Neko Ranma dove growling in a direction perpendicular to Moaghen's trajectory, but opposite to the direction that he severed moaghen's previous connection to Taro in. Neko Ranma did send Moaghen in the direction he was going, but he latched on to the water bug, and sent him spinning to top it all off. Naozi stood in the path of the snarling, screeching tornado of claws and fangs when he, too was sucked in, or at least smashed in. Neko Ranma leapt backwards to face the insectile twister as it made contact with the ground. Moaghen landed on his back, but with Naozi getting squashed underneath. Moaghen then front flipped with Naozi looking much worse for wear, but still breathing. "Ruhuu. Reheegh. Rehaahiihaahiihaak!" Moaghen wheezed and coughed as the dust settled from the resulting impact. Kuno, Ryoga, Mousse, Ryu, Taro, Aoko, and neko Ranma all stood in formation from left to right, closing in on Moaghen, who glared daggers at them in return. Moaghen emitted a bone-dry, less-than-threatening screech as he backed up. He was getting ready to launch another mind control strike, when all of a sudden. "Moaghen, evacuate now!" The commander boomed through Moaghen's transponder. Moaghen let rip a dissatisfied growl in response. "Take Naozi with you." Moaghen nodded affirmatively so as not to get punished for violating direct orders. "I'd love to stay and fight, but I have to go somewhere." Moaghen breezed as he readied for evacuation. "Halt, fiend! Just what art thy ilk up to!?" Kuno bellowed as he charged in Moaghen's direction. Moaghen evaded into comanche mode just in time as Naozi shot back a "Zat ees feur us to execute and for you to fahnd out!" "Remember this though..." An airborne Moaghen proclaimed with an increased hostility followed by a screaming "I'LL GET YOU YET, RANMA SAOTOME!" Moaghen then flew off into the distance with Naozi for precious cargo. "WoooreeererIIIIOOOooooww man, Where am I? Could've sworn that I was fightin' that Moaghen bastard back then." Ranma slurred as he drowsily rubbed his hand against his forehead. "Ranma! Are you alright?" A very concerned Akane exclaimed as she ran up to his side, still wearing her uniform. "Y-yeah, just a dull headache. Frankly, I think I was under the influence of the cat fist when I beat his ass." Ranma replied as he put two and two together to figure out that Moaghen clearly wasn't working alone.


	4. The aftermath

**Apache 2: catch an assassin**

by Alex Young

Back in the Tendo living quarters. 5:00 pm

Ranma sighed as he was at a loss for words with his cat fist. As a matter of fact, so were twin patriarchs Genma and Soun. Genma delved into some detective work in procuring the cat fist instruction manual. After skimming through its antiquated pages, he found the chapter concerning the completion of the outlawed cat fist. Genma was interested specifically in the event when the person under the influence of the cat fist snapping out of it immediately after their foe is defeated. "Ranma, my boy!" Genma called. "Yo, pops. What's the scoop?" Ranma replied as he joined his father and father in-law in reading about the cat fist. "Listen well, boy. Remember when you were fighting Moaghen with the cat fist, by any chance?" Genma queried. "Uhh, yeah. I remember havin the thing spinnin towards the ground, and cuttin his puppets loose and all." Ranma answered. "My thoughts exactly, Tendo." Genma affirmed. "Well, Saotome. If our suspicions are correct, then the dreaded cat fist seems to have reached its final stages." Soun replied "Wait, Tendo! There's more! The final stage of the cat fist can only complete if its user is on the edge of death." Genma lamented. Ranma shuddered out a "Damn, that's real heavy" as he cringed at the mere thought of him dying, especially dying by some stupid freaking insects! "What's strange, though is that you don't actually die, but you do get close enough to the point where you attain complete and utter control of your fear." Genma lectured. "The final stage of the cat fist is indicated by a decline in instances at which the cat fist occurs." Soun informed. "In other words, Ranma; what would normally take a small kitten out in the open, would take a very hungry pride of African lions in an enclosed space within a 7-8 weeks into the final stage." Genma finished. "So, pops. What you're tellin me is that to really get me into the cat fist takes several stray cats, right? As in, right this very moment." Ranma replied. "You're right, my son-in-law. Albeit several famished, rather agitated stray cats." Soun corrected. "Like with when I fought Moaghen!" Ranma reminded. "Spot on, Ranma." Genma praised. "'Tis a bit strange, Ranma in the sense that you weren't supposed to reach the final stages of the cat fist within a good 20 years or so since you first fell in that pit of cats." "I think that the 'hive mind' inside of you has something to do with this. Y-you know, the hive mind that Moaghen just talked to you about taking from you." Akane inquired as she stepped forth, although slowly at that. She had recently changed into a sky blue Iromuji kimono, this time as a de facto observer of this formality. "Speak of the devil, I was just about to explain the hive mind to you all." Nabiki shrugged as she swiftly brought herself to explain the hive mind concept. "You see, the hive mind is essentially the universe's most powerful spherical supercomputer. How it manages to move and process a googolbit of data with several googolplexabytes of storage without generating heat is something of a curiosity, even to many a seasoned supercomputer expert. The hive mind utilizes a near infinite dimensional pocket in its core to store any data it gathers. However, once the hive mind is bonded to living flesh, that person shares the hive mind's computational power. The interesting thing is is that said person can tap into the same reservoir of knowledge, even after their bond with the hive mind is severed, forcibly or otherwise. It's just that they won't exactly be as receptive to new information. If the severance process is done correctly, then the hive mind can just as easily bond to another living being, to share this computational power as did the previous host." Nabiki lectured. "Simply amazing, Nabiki." Soun remarked. "Where'd you get all that mumbo jumbo about it, anyhow?" Genma queried. "Just a guy by the name of Kulu-chan, of course." "Kulu-chan? That may ring a bell or two." "Never mind that now, Tendo. Speaking of the hive mind..."

Flashback #5, July 14, 1997. 1:34 AM. At the hive mind's crash site. From Genma's POV

I was out camping on a cold, wet, and misty training expedition with Tendo and my 10 year old boy, Ranma. I was blissfully unaware that Ranma had just woken up to relieve himself somewhere. The rain had stopped, but the lightning was still going strong. If that boy could single handedly ward off a pack of rabid dogs I set on him at that age, then he as sure as hell isn't gonna just turn tail on a little thunderstorm. I had woken up myself to see that Ranma was gone from the tent. After waking Tendo up, we shadowed that boy a little to see that we were camped right near the crash site of the glowing yellow hive mind. After his urinary tour of duty, Ranma stepped closer and closer to the crater. Right up until he fell into the hive mind. "RANMA!" I screamed out of concern for the boy, as the buddha only knows what sort of power he's about to unleash on our planet! As soon as the two of us got there, however, the light had already faded. Fearing the worst, we headed down the crater to check on Ranma. He lied there unmoving, with his now golden eyes staring blankly into the tortured sky above. "Are you alright, boy?" I cried as I cradled him in my arms. A few seconds later, he snapped awake, and confused. "RANMA! YOU'RE ALIVE, OOOH!" I wept as I hugged him with a vice grip. "H-hey, pops! Yer chokin me, I need ta breathe!" The boy shrieked as he struggled to break free. We retired back to the tent after that drama.

Present day, from reader's POV

"...and we've never spoken a word of it ever since." Genma lamented. "D-D-Damn, that was some super heavy shit you told me." Ranma quivered. "Ranma darling" Kodachi called out. {Oh, here we go again with this whole fiancee business.} Ranma bemoaned as he braced for a potential glompfest when a sharp, piercing feeling rippled through his body. It was as though someone had driven an icicle into his skull going into his stomach, with a really powerful pile driver. It was Tsubasa Kurenai giving Ranma a good whack upside the head with a mallet as he made a most unexpected recurrence in the Tendo home. "Why you son of a, how come YOU get all the cute girls." The role playing transmogvestite Tsubasa snarled as he readied himself to beat the shit out Ranma for it. Tsubasa tossed Ranma over twice before kicking him in the gut. Tsubasa clenched his fist and it connected with Ranma's solar plexus. To have instantaneously knocked out a man among men like Ranma, it had to be one hell of a punch. "Hehehe, BOOYAH! Who's the man NOW, PUNK!?" Tsubasa screamed in apparent victory. The sheer overwhelming euphoria of beating a man among men suddenly vanished upon catching that look on Kodachi's face. His own facial expression metamorphosed from flamboyant celebration, to that of extreme nervousness in a split second. He beat Ranma but soon found himself wishing he hadn't, as his sheepish laughter could attest. Kodachi inched ever closer to Tsubasa's face, but turned away to glance at Ranma's unconscious body. "Forgive me, Ranma darling." She whispered in regret. "Uh-oh." Tsubasa uttered as he stepped back outside an inch or two. "Oh, oh, AAAH CRAP!" Tsubasa screamed as he made like a jackrabbit out of the Tendo residence. "Come hither, Tsubasa darling Wohohoho!" Kodachi howled as she engaged in enamored pursuit of her next victim, namely Tsubasa Kurenai. The still kimono clad Akane couldn't help but stare in appreciation as Kodachi leapt and bounded after Tsubasa. "Oh yeah. One less fiancee to worry about." she breezed as she prepared for her mourning vigil.

In Ranma's dreamscape

Ranma had found himself floating above Nerima after a while of looking down for a few minutes or so. He soared over to where a mysterious figure lay standing, only to stop shortly thereafter. Just what was this slender being standing before Ranma? It was the commander, in caped glory. "Hello there, Ranma. How has it been?" The The commander asked. "W-wait a sec. How in the seventy seven hells do you know my name, eh!?" Ranma exclaimed staring in utter disbelief. "I've known you from when I first heard of you 14 months ago, from Gial of course." "Okay, so you were shadowin us, then?" "Precisely. I even followed you during your confrontation with the Phoenix God Saffron. I've ordered my unit to lay low until that incident with Moaghen and the apache." "WHAT THE!? How'd you, just who the frickin hell are you anyways?" Ranma growled frustratedly. "Are you sure you want to know?" The commander questioned. "Hell to the yeah I do!" Ranma shot back. "Haaa so be it. I am the commander of Assassin mechadrone unit type Alpha designation 134." The commander boomed authoritatively. "My name is..." "Ranma, time to get up." Akane called. "We'll meet again soon, Ranma. Next time for real." The commander resonated. "But but..." the commander closed the dreamscape with a snap of his finger, without ever saying a word about it.

Ranma's room. 6:00 pm

The man among men Ranma snapped fully awake, as though his dream trip only lasted mere minutes. He looked as though he had just survived a screaming eagle, moaning and groaning as he rubbed his forehead a few times. "Ooooooh man, that Tsubasa sure can get his point across." He cringed as he struggled to sit upright. "Ranma, about Tsu.." "He can have her for all I give a damn." Ranma interrupted Akane with his left pointer to her face. "You don't mean?" Akane questioned with her right hand over her mouth. "Uh-huh. Given the choice between the three of 'em, I'd much rather have Shampoo or Ucchan glompin my ass than woooooouououh, Kodachi any day of the week." Ranma shuddered knowing how Kodachi was just plain crazy, just like the other Kunos. "Well, either way, I think you should just stay in bed for the moment." Akane suggested as she bowed and vacated Ranma's room in her usual kimono walk. Ranma slipped back into bed, uncertain of what lies ahead. "What's happening to me?" He whispered in a silent, almost ghost-like desparation. To have had Kodachi let him go in favor of Tsubasa? Just like that? That was the biggest relief that he had thus far. One thing bugged him more than any other; just who was the commander? Was HE the one pulling the strings? How did Moaghen and Naozi play into this? So many questions, so few answers. Ranma got back up on his feet after a while to inhale any remaining vittles Akane served up to him as dinner. He strode downstairs feeling like his usual self, though usual wasn't exactly what it used to be. "Well, son. How's the concussion?" Soun quipped. "Eeh, no biggie. Had to put up with worse." Ranma answered as he casually shrugged it off. "That's my boy for you, Tendo." Genma commented. "Indeed, Saotome." Soun replied. "About Moaghen. When the commander told me in my dream that he orchestrated this whole apache incident, using Moaghen to control the pilots' minds, I knew right then and there that Moaghen was acting under his direct orders." Ranma elucidated, followed by the ensuing forcible expulsion of drinks from Genma and Soun. "That cannot be right, son!" "Yeah! That's bull pucky!" The two fathers expressly retorted out of shock induced denial. There had to be some mistake! Or was it? Kasumi walked up to Ranma's side and groomed her hand across his head. "Father, Mr. Saotome, There may be a ring of truth to what Ranma had to say." Kasumi reassured. "Geez, daddy. How do ya think that son of a bitch Moaghen tried to deep six Ranma's ass two months back, huh?" Nabiki questioned as she stepped forth to meet the anything goes martial arts patriarchs, eye to eye. "The boy's got a point, you know." Happosai began as he joined in on the conversaition. "Never in the history of anything goes martial arts have we faced a threat such as this." Happosai ended when Pantyhose Taro sauntered on in and growled a "I'm only joining in on the action just so I can kick these faggots in the pants." The man with a Yeti-Eel-Crane-Ox-Octopus hybrid for a curse form was of course talking about the assassin drones that have been running rampant ever since Gial first arrived back in August 19, 2002. That hatred Moaghen manipulated earlier came from the curse within his name; Pantyhose Taro. Once he was named as such, he wasn't allowed to change it as per traditional Chinese custom. Only Happosai could change it, as he was the one who named him. "It's decided, then. We shall face this new threat head on." Ranma declared, causing everyone to cheer in solidarity for this initiative. Out on the roof of the Tendo residence, someone else was listening; another Chinese amazon, this time a male with a loaded .50 caliber sniper rifle, he inserted an extra bullet into the chamber out of habit. "Aahh yes, looks like Sun Ai Pir shall join in on this turkey shoot." This man named "Sniper" oozed in a more fluent Japanese. He was a cold blooded killer at his core, with a long ponytail running down his back. He stood up and roof hopped to a safe spot to get some target practice in.

Hong Kong, China. 8:00 pm the very next night

Gial had successfully infiltrated what looked to be a very large corporate skyscraper belonging to Xiu Wong Enterprises. Gial gave the go ahead to the rest of his infiltration squad: Moaghen, Kuosinne, Raikoume, Kamikase, Gaedool, and Miezoen. After a few minutes of some deep penetration, Riptile and Thunderbear charged from opposing sides at Moaghen in a fast, rabid flurry of fangs and poison. Kuosinne, ever the mistress of illusions, had completely fooled the two killer trucks into slashing at each other. Moaghen counter attacked with his mind control, resulting in the guards shooting each other to smithereens. Riptile snarled and accelerated to retaliate against Kuosinne, but Gaedool would not allow it as he slashed in from the side. He sunk his horrendous, blood-sucking fangs into Riptile's undercarriage. The infiltration squad would split as Moaghen and company would stay behind to discract the security forces, whereas Gial would be towed by Raikoume and Kamikase to his objective; a sample containing the slain phoenix god Saffron's DNA. Gial and Company made it into the high security area. Gial had captured the sample using a silken lasso, and he stored the sample in his abdominal storage unit. His squad had escaped the facility leaving the guards in a state of total shock. "Smell you later suckers!" The raptor twins screeched in unison as Gial and his squad rode off into the darkness.

At Xiu Wong Enterprises corporate headquarters. Hong Kong, China. 8:30 pm

The office chair was filled by an ominously vengeful Victor Xiu Wong. "Mister Xiu Wong, they broke into corporate headquarters and stole Saffron's DNA." His female advisor reported. "No matter, These assassin drones will get theirs soon enough." He grinned darkly as he stared into the darkening sky.

Meanwhile, in Naozi's laboratory aboard the Rapier

Naozi was piecing together what looked to be a complete DNA clone of Saffron. The ever so shady commander checked on Naozi's progress. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" The commander droned at "Saffron" in walking up to his side. "How does it feel?" The commander queried. "Ooh yes. It feels so good to be back." Saffron growled in satisfaction. Who knows what the commander has in store for Ranma and company? So many questions left to be answered in the future as the Rapier ominously hovered over planet Earth.


End file.
